1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a work washing apparatus.
2. Description of the Invention
Related art work washing method and apparatus were constituted by determining work washing points in advance, providing a multiplicity of nozzles directed to these work washing points, blowing out water and/or air from the multiplicity of nozzles onto the works, and thereby washing and drying the work. Therefore, a number of nozzles are needed, and this causes the work washing apparatus and pipes to be complicated and enlarged, or the maintenance and management of the washing apparatus and pipes to be complicated. In other words, providing a number of nozzles in the washing apparatus causes the apparatus to be complicated and enlarged, or the maintenance and management thereof to become complicated.
The method and apparatus for solving this problem will now be described with reference to literature (1) to (3). The literature (1) is JP-A-7-31575 disclosing a rotary nozzle apparatus and a method of designing the same. This invention uses a nozzle formed by a plurality of links, and an angle of water injected from an injection port of the nozzle is varied randomly by using a chaos principle. The water is injected randomly from the nozzle by utilizing this variation of injection angle. One of the objects of the invention resides in the washing of a work efficiently and speedily by utilizing the uniform injection and diffusion of water from the nozzle. The literature (2) is JP-A-6-226220 disclosing a washing apparatus. This invention is provided with a pair of nozzles adapted to be moved orbitally and rotated on their own axes in the horizontal direction by utilizing support arms; and formed so that a washing liquid and/or warm water is diffused by these two nozzles. One of the objects of this invention resides in the washing of parts of a metering apparatus, such as a hopper efficiently and beautifully by utilizing a small number of nozzles. The literature (3) is JP-UM-B-3-45569 disclosing an injection nozzle moving unit in a pearl oyster shell washing machine. This invention is formed by meshing a smaller gear rotating on its own axis with a larger gear moving orbitally around a main shaft, and providing a nozzle-carrying branch pipe on the smaller gear. One of the objects of this invention resides in the execution of a wide range washing operation utilizing a smaller gear which rotates on its own axis on an orbitally moving larger gear, and the attainment of an efficient washing operation.
To sum up the inventions disclosed in the literature (1) to (3), important points reside in the provision of the orbitally moving links and links rotating on their own axes both of which links are mounted on a main shaft, the provision of a plurality of nozzles on the links, the diffusing of washing water in a wide range, the contriving of an efficient washing operation, and the attaining of an efficient washing operation by utilizing orbital movement and rotation on the own axes of the nozzles (the nozzles moving orbitally and the nozzles rotating on their own axes). However, the nozzles moving orbitally and nozzles rotating on their own axes are formed so as to utilize their horizontal (planar) orbital movements and horizontal (planar) movements thereof on their own axes.
Therefore, the inventions disclosed in the literature (1) to (3) cannot wash in all directions objects (works) to be washed, such as works, processed goods and products. These inventions cannot wash works in all directions either in a place to which the works are fed. The inventions disclosed in the literature (1) to (3) wash upper, lower and side surfaces of a work separately, so that it is understood that these inventions are improved as compared with older apparatuses of this kind. However, in order to provide nozzles on various portions of the inventions disclosed in the literature (1) to (3), a large number of nozzles are needed, and this causes the washing apparatuses and pipes to be complicated and enlarged, and the maintenance and management thereof to be complicated. In other words, providing a multiplicity of nozzles in a washing apparatus causes the apparatus to be complicated and enlarged, or the maintenance and management of the apparatus to be complicated.